Mr Hancock admits to actions that were "inappropriate and unprofessional", actions that left his victim feeling "degraded".

He apologises for "hurtful and untrue" comments about his victim's motives. It is, as his statement admits, a "full public apology".

At the time of writing, Mike Hancock remains a Member of Parliament, suspended from the Liberal Democrats, but still with all the rights and privileges of an MP.

It's now impossible to imagine how he can remain in this position. And while this is primarily an issue of Mr Hancock's personal conduct, it's also an issue for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats.

A small party of protest can brush such things under the carpet, because it attracts so little attention. But a party of government, one that aspires to hold power in the future, needs to clean up its act.

If Mike Hancock had been a Conservative or Labour MP, Nick Clegg would be at the front of the queue calling on that party to take action.

If the Liberal Democrats aspire to sit at the top table, then the same rules apply.